Matchday Welcome: Rapids host LA Galaxy

Welcome back to Dick’s Sporting Goods Park for this evening’s match – remember, kickoff is at 5pm! With the two-time defending MLS Cup champion LA Galaxy coming to visit, that makes this a battle of the last two clubs to win MLS Cup, and we’re excited for the opportunity to take an important win against a solid team. The match tonight is presented by Westerra Credit Union, and we want to thank them for being a supporter of the Rapids and of our whole community.

There are a lot of storylines around today’s game, so it’s fitting that there’s a national platform with the broadcast on ESPN2, with Adrian Healey and Taylor Twellman calling the game. It’s the return of Pablo Mastroeni, and it will be strange to see him in Galaxy colors. I’m sure that we’ll all give Pablo a rousing ovation because of his importance to the Rapids, but after that it’ll be all business for both parties. He’s such a competitor that we know he’ll be working hard to get the win for his team, but we’ll be happy to see him once the game ends.

This is an important match for us, as we’re unbeaten in the last five games but still just on the edge of the playoff spots in the Western Conference. Things are so tight in this division that one win can move us nearly all the way up in the standings, and we’ll be hoping to get that done. The Galaxy is a strong team even without Landon Donovan and Omar Gonzalez, who are currently with the U.S. National Team as they prepare for the Gold Cup final. We’ll all be watching Panama and the U.S. closely on Sunday afternoon, for a lot of reasons!

If we do come out of the match with a win, make sure to hold on to your ticket stub to redeem it for a free order of Arby’s famous curly fries, which you can redeem tomorrow only at any Arby’s in Colorado or Wyoming. Additionally, the first 1,500 fans to enter Dick’s Sporting Goods Park tonight will receive a free Rapids drawstring bag, courtesy of Westerra Credit Union, so make sure to arrive well in advance of the 5pm kickoff! Today’s Merch of the Match is a t-shirt inspired by the Rapids’ alternate kit for just $12, available at any Altitude Authentics location in the stadium.

Finally, tonight will be a great opportunity for us to honor the Rapids Under-16 Team, who recently finished third out of the 80 teams across the country in the Development Academy. They’ll be here at the game and we’ll all be able to give them the congratulations that they deserve!

Thanks again for supporting the team tonight, and we hope you’ll all be back next week for the third and final leg of the Subaru Rocky Mountain Cup. That will be another one of our biggest games of the season, and we have the chance to bring the Rocky Mountain Cup back to Colorado for the first time in far too long. Stop by the box office, visit www.ColoradoRapids.com or call 303-825-GOAL to get tickets either for tonight or next week’s showdown.